Liquid dispensing apparatus



March 6, 1962 J. E. WEGLEY ET AL 3,023,933

LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed July '7, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 6, 1962 J. E. WEGLEY ETAL 3,023,933

LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 7, 1954 ATJVKNEYY ire er This invention relates to liquid dispensing machines. More particularly it relates to apparatus for attachment to the discharge outlet of a liquid container adapted to enable the user to dispense the liquid in a large number of unitary equal volumes, the apparatus preferably being part of a Vending device.

Coin operated vending machines have become increasingly popular in offices, public buildings and other public and semi-public places in recent years. These machines dispense the particular commodity being sold at a minimum of cost, labor and effort and are particularly successful where the product is already packaged or wrapped in individual units such as in the case of candy bars. In the vending of liquids, however, the problem is more complicated in that the liquid is preferably delivered to the dispensing machine in bulk form so as to avoid the cost of individual packaging of the sales unit. Therefore the dispensation or vend is preferably made from a bulk source contained within the dispensing machine. This involves an inherent problem, however, of compensating for the variations in hydrostatic pressure within the container as it is gradually emptied.

In order to provide substantially self-operating dispensing machines, it is necessary that the machine commence dispensing immediately after the coin is inserted and continue until a sufficient volume has been dispensed whereupon the dispensing device discontinues its dispensing operation. The most desirable means of accomplishing this has in the past been to provide mechanism for opening a valve at the discharge outlet of the liquid container and maintaining it in open position for a given time interval at the end of which the valve is closed. This type of means would be ideal if the liquid container were always filled to a given level, but since this is not feasible, such devices will dispense varying volumes according to the height of liquid in the container. For example, during a given time interval during which the valve is opened, a larger volume will be dispensed if the container is filled than if it is approximately empty. Thus it can be seen that unequal volumes will be dispensed unless some accurate means is provided for compensating for the variations in hydrostatic pressure within the container. Our invention is directed toward overcoming this difficulty.

It is a general object of our invention to provide novel and improved liquid dispensing apparatus of inexpensive and simple construction and operation.

A more specific object is to provide a novel and improved liquid dispensing apparatus which though simple in construction will automatically compensate for variations in hydrostatic pressure within the liquid container so as to insure dispensations of equal predetermined volume throughout the course of the dispensing operations.

Another object is to provide novel and improved liquid dispensing apparatus which Will insure the dispensation of equal predetermined volumes throughout the entire dispensing operation from a particular container.

Another object is to provide a simple and novel liquid dispensing mechanism for accurately adjusting the length of time the dispensing valve remains open in accordance with the extent to which the liquid container has been emptied by previous dispensations.

Another object is to provide novel and improved liquid 3,623,933 Patented Mar. 6, 1962 dispensing apparatus which will automatically vary the length of time the dispensing valve is permitted to remain open for a particular dispensing operation in accordance with the hydrostatic pressure Within the container at the time of that particular dispensation.

These and other objects and advantages of our invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a complete liquid dispensing machine embodying our invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit system utilized in our apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the automatic regulating mechanism for regulating the length of time the dispensing valve remains open during the various respective individual dispensations of liquid from the bulk liquid container;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view taken approximately along line 55 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along line- 66 of FIG. 3.

One embodiment of our invention is shown in FIGS. l-6. FIG. 1 in particular shows a complete liquid dis pensing machine which is coin actuated and constructed to provide dispensations of the liquid from the liquid container in equal volumes regardless of the depth of the liquid in the container at the time of the particular vend. As shown, the apparatus is comprised of a liquid container C which has insulated walls to maintain the liquid at a desired temperature within a liquid containing chamber in the interior of the chamber. This container C has a discharge outlet to which is secured a solenoid actuated valve V which serves to regulate the outward flow of the liquid through the discharge outlet of the container. As shown, there is a paper cup rack R from which a supply of paper cups such as 10 may be obtained by the purchaser.

|The solenoid valve V is of a type frequently used and which may be readily purchased upon the market. The particular valve shown is of the volt, 6O cycle variety.

Extending upwardly from the uppermost portions of the valve V is an electric cable 11 which connects the valve to a metal housing 12 and passes through the upper portion thereof and is electrically connected to electric terminals 13 and 14- of a normally closed microswitch indicated generally as 15. (This microswitch 15 is electrically connected within an electric circuit system indicated generally as S which is best shown in FIG. 2. The microswitch 15 has a circuit breaker 16 extending downwardly from its lower surface and carries a pressure plate 17 secured to its undersurface and extending downwardly therefrom. The pressure plate 17 as best shown in FIG. 3 is in position to cam the circuit breaker 16 inwardly and thereby break the circuit which normally passes through the microswitch 15.

Referring now to FIG. 2 there is shown diagrammatically an electric circuit system originating from a source of electric power (not shown) and being carried by main lines 18 and 19. The main line 18 is connected by a branch line 20 to one of the terminals of the normally closed microswitch 15. The line 21 extends from the other terminal 14 of the microswitch to a holding relay 22. This holding relay is connected by line 23 to a coin operated switch 24 which is normally open. The coin operated switch 24 is connected by an electrical line 25 to the electric motor 26 to be hereinafter referred to and described more specifically. An electric line 27 extends from the motor to the solenoid valve V and the other lead line 19 is connected to the other terminal of the solenoid valve. Thus it can be seen that when the coin operated switch 24 is closed through the insertion of a coin an electric circuit will be closed through the holding relay 22, the motor 26, and the solenoid valve V so that the motor 26 will be energized and the solenoid valve wiil be moved from normally closed position to open position to permit the liquid to fiow outwardly therethrough from the container C.

The coin operated switch is part of an interchangeable coin operated relay actuating unit which is not shown in detail herein but is of the 115 volt, 60 cycle type. This type of unit accepts different types of coins but in each event functions insofar as the instant invention is concerned merely to close the coin operated switch 24.

When the holding relay 22 is energized through the closing of the coin operated switch 24, it functions to close a pair of normally open switches 28 and 29. As shown, the lead line 18 has a branchline 30 which is connected to the switch 28. The other terminal of the switch 28 is connected by an electric line 31 to the line 27 which extends between the motor 26 and the solenoid valve V. The switch 29 is electrically connected by an electric line 32 to the main line 19. It will be noted that the branch line 32 is also electrically connected to the line 25 which extends between the motor '26 and the coin operated switch 24. The other terminal of the switch 29 is connected by a branch line '33 to the line 23 which extends between the holding relay 22 and the coin operated switch 24.

From the above it will be seen that when the normally open switches 28 and 29 are closed by the energization of the holding relay 22 (which in turn is accomplished by the closing of the coin operated switch 24), two holding circuits are established through the solenoid valve V and the motor 26. The opening of the coin operated switch 24 will not cause the solenoid valve V to close because a current will continue to be supplied thereto. This holding circuit can be traced as extending from the lead line 18 through the branchline 30, through the switch 28, thence through the solenoid valve V to the main line 19. Similarly, the opening of switch 24 will not cause the motor 26 to stop because a current will continue to be supplied thereto through the holding circuit which can be traced as extending from the lead line 18 through the branch line 20, thence through the normally closed microswitch 15 and the line 21 to the holding relay 22, from there through the line 23 through the switch 29, thence through the line 32 to the main line 19. In this manner the switches 28 and 29 will be maintained in closed position and their closing results in an electric supply being carried to the motor 26 and the solenoid valve V. This single circuit can be traced by commencing with the lead line '19 through the solenoid valve V through the line 27 to the motor 26, thence along the line 25 back to its intersection with line 32 through the switch 29 and the line 23 to the relay 22, thence through the line 21 to the switch 15 and thence back to the lead line 18 via the branch line 20. From this it can be seen that once the coin operated switch 24 is actuated, the solenoid valve V and the motor 26 will continue to be energized until the main circuit is broken by the circuit breaker 16 as a result of it being forced upwardly by the pressure plate 17.

The housing 12 is provided with coin receiving slots 34 and 35 and these, of course, are connected with the interchangeable coin operated relay actuating unit referred to above but not shown herein.

Mounted within the housing 12, and best shown in FIGS. 3-6, is the regulating mechanism indicated generally as M for regulating the length of time the solenoid valve V is permitted to remain in open position. This regulating mechanism as shown is comprised of a mounting plate '36 upon the upper lefthand corner of which, as viewed in FIG. 3, is mounted the normally closed microswitch 15. Fixedly secured to the mounting plate 36 by metal screws 37 and 38 is a U-shaped mounting bracket 39 which extends downwardly below the lower edge of the mounting plate 36 and then upwardly again on the opposite side. This mounting bracket 39 has a free end portion 3%.

Mounted upon the mounting plate 36 for free rotation relative thereto is a ratchet wheel indicated generally as 40. This wheel has teeth 40a preferably equal in number to the number of unit dispensing volumes contained in the container C when the latter is filled. In other words, if each time it is desired to dispense the liquid in unit volumes of say, a quarter-pint and the container C contained such quarter-pints, then the number of teeth should preferably be 100. The ratchet wheel 40 is mounted on a shaft 41 which rotates relative to the plate 36. Also mounted on the shaft 41 is a rotary cam 42 which has a radially spirally shaped camming surface 43. This caming surface 43 is correlated with the hydrostatic pressure within the container C and is shaped to reflect the time required for the valve V to dispense equal volumes at each of the dispensing steps required to empty the container. Thus, the camming surface 43 varies in radial distance from the center of the shaft 41 so that as it rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3, the camming surface gradually increases in distance from the center of the shaft 41.

This rotary cam 42 is carefully constructed to reflect the amount of time required to insure equal volumes being dispensed from the valve V during the various stages of the emptying of the container C. We arrived at the shape of this camming surface by first selecting a predetermined volume which we desire to dispense for the particular coin to be accepted by the machine. Then we filled the container C and step by step emptied the container C, dispensing unit volumes therefrom by manual operation of the valve V. We timed the amount of time required to dispense each of the unit volumes removed in this manner and thereafter drew a curve of the time required throughout the entire emptying operation. Thereafter we constructed the rotary cam 42 with its camrning surface 43 so that the radius of the camming surface follows the curve arrived at as described immediately hereabove.

Pivotally mounted upon the upper free end portion 39a of the mounting bracket 39 is a metal link L. This link L has a bifurcated end 44 and carries a cam follower at its opposite end, this cam follower constantly engaging the camming surface 43 as the ratchet wheel or disc 40 rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3. A spring 46 is mounted on the shaft 47 which carries the link L and this spring engages the mounting bracket 39 with one of its ends and the upper surface of the link L with its other end as best shown in FIG. 3 so as to constantly urge'the follower 45 into firm engagement with the camming surface 43.

Mounted on the opposite side of the mounting plate 36 is a synchronous motor 48 which has a gear train indicated generally as 49 associated therewith and from which a drive shaft 50 extends outwardly. This synchronous motor is the motor indicated by the numeral 26 in the diagrammatic electrical system S in PEG. 2 and is of the volt, 60 cycle type running at 2 r.p.m. and is provided with a shift, this type being disclosed in United States Letters Patents Nos. 2,334,040, 1,935,208, 1,996,375, 2,049,261 and 2,353,305. This motor is capable of being turned backwardly when not energized without damage resulting thereto. The shaft 50 is drivably connected to another shaft 51 which is pivotally mounted in the plate 36 and extends through the plate and outwardly on the opposite side. On the opposite side the shaft 51 carries a radially extending camming post 52 which is rotated by the shafts 50 and 51 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3.

Mounted on the shaft 51 and urging the same counterclockwise is a coiled spring 53 which is fixed by one of its ends to the shaft or post 51 and by its other end to the connecting post 54 which is carried by a rotary starting plate or disk 55. The rotary starting plate 55 is free to rotate about the shaft 51 and the connecting post 54 which extends outwardly therefrom is passed through the bifurcated end 44 of the link L so that as the bifurcated end of the link L is cammed upwardly by the cam 42, the connecting post 54 will be urged upwardly, thereby causing the starting plate 55 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction. When this takes place, the starting post or stop means 56 moves downwardly as viewed in FIG. 3 and the camming post 52 swings in a counterclockwise direction along therewith since it is urged in that direction by the coiled spring 53. Pivotally mount ed on a pivot post 57 which extends outwardly from the mounting plate 36 is a camming lever 58. This camming lever is pivoted by its medial portion on the post 57 and carries an upwardly extending pressure plate cam 59 in position to engage the pressure plate 17 when the camming lever pivots about the post 57. A spring 60 is mounted around the pivot post 57 and is connected by one of its ends to an anchor post 61 which is carried by the mounting plate 36. This spring urges the camming lever 58 in a counter-clockwise direction since its other end is connected to an car 62 which extends outwardly from the pivoted end of a ratchet 63 which is pivotally mounted upon the end portion of the camming lever 58. In this manner the upper end portion of the ratchet 63 is constantly urged against the teeth 40a of the ratchet wheel 40, while at the same time, the free and camming end of the camming lever is urged in a counter-clockwise direction. A spring lock member 64 is also carried by the anchor post 61 and it extends outwardly therefrom into constant engagement with the teeth 40a of the ratchet wheel 40 so as to preclude counter-clockwise rotation of the ratchet wheel. This can clearly be seen in FIG. 3.

It will be readily seen that the elements 39-64 collectively comprise a timing circuit breaking device which is controlled in part at least by the cam 42.

In operation the container C is filled with liquid and the ratchet wheel 40 is rotated to starting position relative to the cam follower 45 as shown in FIG. 3. The machine is then set for accurate dispensation of all of the liquid in the container in equal predetermined volumes. When the coin actuated switch 24 is actuated by the customer inserting a coin in one of the slots 34, 35, the holding relay will be energized as previously described. Simultaneously the solenoid valve V and the motor 48 will be energized so that the valve V will be opened and the motor 48 will commence to operate and rotate cam ming post 52 clockwise. The holding relay will cont1nue to maintain the circuit to the motor and the solenoid valve in closed position until the main circuit is finally broken by the circuit breaker 16. When the motor 48 commences to operate, it causes the camming post 52 to rotate in a clockwise direction so that it engages the free or camming end of the camming lever 58. Gradually the pressure plate cam 59 will be brought into engagement with the free end of the pressure plate 17 and urge it upwardly. At the same time the end of the camming lever 58 to which the ratchet 63 is pivotally connected will be brought downwardly as viewed in FIG. 3 until finally the teeth engaging portion of the ratchet 63 will slip into the immediately following tooth and engage the same, one tooth behind its original position. While this is taking place the spring lock 64 precludes counter-clockwise rotation of the ratchet wheel 44). Shortly thereafter the pressure plate cam 59 will have cammed the pressure plate 17 upwardly sufiiciently to force the circuit breaker 16 into circuit breaking position. When this takes place, the entire circuit is broken and the holding relay releases the normally open switches 28 and 29 thereupon shutting off the circuit to the solenoid valve V and to the motor 48. The solenoid valve thereupon immediately returns to closed position and the dispensation of the liquid is immediately terminated. When the motor 48 is no longer supplied with current, the spring 53 is then able to immediately cause the motor to shift back to substantially its original position so that the camming post or lever 52 will again engage the starting post 56. However, this starting post 56 will be moved very slightly in a counter-clockwise direction because the release of the camming lever 58 permits the spring member 60 to force the ratchet 63 upwardly to its original position and thereby cause the ratchet 63 to rotate the ratchet wheel 40 the spacing of one tooth in a clockwise direction. This rotation, of course, causes the cam 42 also to rotate slightly in a clockwise direction and to force the cam follower 45 downwardly slightly. The downward movement of the cam follower 45 causes the bifurcated end 44 of the link L to swing slightly upwardly thereby causing the starting plate 55 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction very slightly and reposition the starting post 56 as previously herein described.

Thus it can be seen that for each energization of the electric circuit system, the starting post 56 moves in a counter-clockwise direction very slightly so that each time thereafter the motor 48 has to run slightly longer before it will have cammed the camming lever 58 to circuit breaking position and thereby terminate the particular dispensing operation taking place for that particular energization of the electric circuit system. By the time the container C is substantially emptied, the portion of the camming surface 43 immediately adjacent to the starting position will have swung into cam-follower engaging position so that the motor 48 will be energized a substantially longer time before moving the camming lever 58 to circuit breaking position. As a result, of course, the valve V Will remain in open position a substantially longer time and will dispense a volume equal to that previously dispensed because the hydrostatic pressure will be less.

Each time the container C is filled the ratchet wheel 40 should be rotated around again to the starting position shown in FIG. 3 and if this is done, the owner may be assured that equal volumes will be dispensed thereafter regardless of the extent to which the container is emptied. Thus the customer who purchases a drink of liquid at a time when the container C is approximately empty will receive a volume of the liquid equal to the volume received by the customer who purchases a drink of the liquid when the container is filled.

Thus it can be seen that we have provided a novel and improved liquid dispensing device which can be manufactured and sold very inexpensively. In addition, it functions in a highly improved manner so that the vendor may always be assured that the purchaser will receive an accurate predetermined amount of the liquid regardless of the extent to which the container has been emptied. This eliminates much of the dissatisfaction so prevalent among the machines wherein no compensation is made for the variations of hydrostatic pressure within the container. Our liquid dispensing apparatus, it will be noted, automatically compensates for such variations in hydrostatic pressure within the container so that once the machine is set when the container is filled the purchaser will always receive an equal volume. It should also be noted that it is a very simple matter to reset this mechanism in the event it is desired to refill the container C before it has been completely emptied. It will also be noted that the structure is extremely simple in construction and is therefore not likely to have extensive repair and maintenance problems.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of our invention which consists of the matter shown and described herein and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Liquid dispensing apparatus for use in conjunction with a container having a liquid containing chamber and a discharge outlet for effecting equal volume dispensations of liquids from the container regardless of the depth of the liquid therewithin, said apparatus comprising a solenoid valve adapted to be connected to a discharge outlet of a container to regulate the flow of liquidtherethrough, an electric circuit system connected to said valve intermittently actuating the same between open and closed position, and a cam-controlled regulating mechanism connected to said system and regulating the length of time said solenoid valve is maintained in open position, said mechanism including an electric motor connected electrically with said electric circuit system and controlling the time said valve remains in open position, a rotary cam mounted adjacent said motor and having a camming surface correlated with the hydrostatic pressure within such a container at various stages throughout the operation of emptying the container, a cam follower associated with said cam and connected with said motor and resetting said motor after each dispensation to thereby increase the length of time said valve will be maintained in open position during the succeeding dispensation in accordance with the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid within the container.

2 Liquid dispensing apparatus for use in conjunction with a container having a liquid containing chamber and a discharge outlet for effecting equal volume dispensations of liquids from the container regardless of the depth of the liquid therewithin, said apparatus comprising a solenoid valve adapted to be connected to a discharge outlet of a container to regulate the flow of liquid therethrough, an electric circuit system connected to said valve intermittently actuating the same between open and closed positions, and a cam-controlled regulating mechamsrn connected to said system and regulating the length of time said solenoid valve is maintained in open position, said mechanism including an electric motor connected electrically with said electric circuit system and controlling the time said valve remains in open position, a rotary cam mounted adjacent said motor, a cam follower, and linkage extending between said motor and said cam follower whereby said motor is reset after each dispensation to thereby increase the length of time said valve will be maintained in open position during the succeeding dispensation in accordance with the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid within the container.

3. Liquid dispensing apparatus for dispensing equal predetermined volumes of liquid from a container regardless of the depth of the liquid therewithin, said apparatus comprising a container having a discharge outlet and having a liquid receiving chamber therewithin, a solenoid valve connected to the discharge outlet of said container, an electric circuit system connected to said valve intermittently actuating the same between open and closed position, and a cam-controlled regulating mechanism connected to said system and regulating the length of time said solenoid valve is maintained in open position for each dispensation, said mechanism including a timing circuit breaking device and a rotary cam having a peripheral camming surface associated with said device and causing the same to be reset as to time for each dispensation, the radius of said cam at its peripheral camming surface increasing in accordance with the drop in hydrostatic pressure as the liquid is withdrawn from the container and being correlated with the drop in hydrostatic pressure as said container is emptied, thereby insuring. dispensation of an equal predetermined volume each time said valve is actuated regardless of the extent to which said container is filled.

4. In a liquid dispenser for the dispensation of equal volumes of liquid from a container regardless of the depth of the liquid within the container, a solenoid actuated valve adapted to be connected to a discharge outlet of the container, an electric circuit, including said valve, for opening said valve and maintaining the valve in that position for a predetermined period of time in coordination with the depth of the liquid within the container whereby a substantially constant volume of liquid will be dispensed during each dispensing operation, said electric circuit including a first switch, manually controlled, for opening said valve, drive means energized in response to said first switch to operate when said valve is open, a second switch for closing said valve, means for actuating said second switch to close said valve, the last means including mechanism connected with said second switch and the first mentioned means to progressively increase the length of time between energization of said first mentioned means and actuation of said second switch, said mechanism being so correlated with the reduction of liquid depth within the container upon each dispensing operation that a substantially equal volume of fluid is dispensed during each dispensing operation.

5. Liquid dispensing apparatus for use in conjunction with a liquid container for the dispensation of equal volumes of liquid from that container regardless of the depth of the liquid therewithin, said apparatus comprising a solenoid actuated valveadapted to be connected to a discharge outlet of the container, an electric circuit systern connected tosaid valve and-intermittently actuating the same between open and closed position, said electric circuit including a switch for moving said valve from open to closed position, means connected with said switch for progressively increasing the period of time said valve remains in open position upon successive dispensing operations, said means including a camming post, means for driving the camming post, the last means forming part of said electric circuit system.

6. Liquid dispensing apparatus for use in conjunction with a liquid container for the dispensation of equal volumes of liquid from that container regardless of the depth of the liquid therewithin, said apparatus comprising a solenoid actuated valve adapted to be connected to a discharge outlet of the container, an electric circuit system connected to said valve, said electric circuit including a first switch, manually controlled, for moving said valve from closed to open position, and a second switch for moving said valve from open to closed position, means connected with said second switch for progressively increasing the period of time said valve remains in open position upon successive dispensing operations, said means including a cam, means for driving the cam, the last means forming part of said electric circuit.

7. Liquid dispensing apparatus for use in conjunction with a liquid container for the dispensation of equal volumes of liquid from that container regardless of the depth of the liquid therewithin, said apparatus comprising a solenoid actuated valve adapted to be connected to a discharge outlet of the container, an electric circuit connected to said valve for actuating the same between open and closed position, said electric circuit including a switch for actuating said valve from open to closed position, a camming post for actuating said switch, said electric circuit including means for driving said camming post, means normally urging said camming post away from the switch, stop means for limiting the normal position of said camming post away from the switch, and means for progressively moving said stop means away from the switch upon successive dispensing operations.

8. Liquid dispensing apparatus for use in conjunction with a liquid container for the dispensation of equal volumes of liquid from that container regardless of the depth of the liquid therewithin, said apparatus comprising a solenoid actuated valve adapted to be connected to a discharge outlet of the container, an electric circuit connected to said valve for actuating the same between open and closed position, said electric circuit including a switch for actuating said valve from open to closed position, a camming post for actuating said switch, said electric circuit including means for driving said camming post, means normally urging said camming post away from the switch,

stop means for limiting the normal position of said camming post away from the switch, and means for progressively moving said stop means away from the switch upon successive dispensing operations, said stop means including a rotatable disk and a starting post mounted thereon in offset relation to the center of rotation of the disk against which said camming post is abutted when in the normal position, and the means for progressively moving the stop means including a pivoted follower arm connected with said disk at one end and mechanism connected with the other end of the follower arm for pivoting the same in step by step fashion to rotate said disk and position said starting post progressively further away from said switch.

9. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a container adapted to receive a supply of liquid to be dispensed, said container having a discharge outlet, valve means in said discharge outlet, manually controlled means for opening said valve, timer means actuated in response to operation of said manually controlled means, means actuated by said timer means to close said valve means a predetermined length of time after the opening of said valve means and actuation of said timer means, said timer means including mechanism for progressively increasing the stated predetermined length of time between opening and closing of said valve means upon successive manipulations of the manually controlled means, whereby a substantially constant volume of liquid will be dispensed during each dispensing operation regardless of the liquid level within the container.

10. In a dispensing apparatus for dispensing liquids from containers: delivery means operable to effect delivery of liquid from a container, the delivery means including a valve and power-operated mechanism for opening and closing the valve; cut-ofi means for starting and stopping the power operated mechanism, timing means for regulating the operation of the cut-ofl means to regulate the period of opening of the valve, the timing means including means to cause the cut-off means to operate the poweroperated mechanism for a short time interval when the container is full and to lengthen the interval as the container becomes less full, whereby to counteract the effect of declining hydrostatic head on the rate of discharge.

11. The combination of claim 10, wherein the poweroperated mechanism is an electrical device, and the cutotf means includes a switch regulating energization of the electrical device.

12. Liquid dispensing apparatus for use in conjunction with a container having a liquid containing chamber and a discharge outlet, for eflfecting equal volume dispensations of liquids from the container regardless of the depth of the liquid therewithin, said apparatus comprising a 10 solenoid valve adapted to be connected to a discharge outlet of a container to regulate the flow of liquid therethrough, an electric circuit system connected to said valve intermittently actuating the same between open and closed position, and -a cam-controlled regulating mechanism connect-ed to said system and regulating the length of time said solenoid valve is maintained in open position, said mechanism including an electric motor connected electrically with said electric circuit system and controlling the time said valve remains in open position, a rotary cam mounted adjacent said motor, there being operating means connecting the cam and the motor for moving the cam about its center in response to operation of the motor, the cam having a camming surface correlated with the hydrostatic pressure within such a container at various stages throughout the operation of emptying the container, a cam follower associated with said cam and connected with said motor, the cam follower controlling the operation of the motor, the cam being shaped to increase the length of time said motor will be kept in operation and the valve will be maintained in open position during successive dispensations, in accordance with the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid within the container.

13. In a liquid dispenser for the dispensation of equal volumes of liquid from a container regardless of the depth of the liquid Within the container, a solenoid actuated valve adapted to be connected to a discharge outlet of the container, an electric circuit, including said valve, for opening said valve and maintaining the valve in the position for a predetermined period of time in coordination with the depth of the liquid within the container whereby a substantially constant volume of liquid will be dispensed during each dispensing operation, said electric circuit including means, manually controlled, for opening said valve, drive means energized in response to operation of the manually controlled means to operate when said valve is open, a switch for closing said valve, means for actuating said switch to close said valve, the last means including mechanism connected with said switch and the drive means to progressively increase the length of time between energization of said drive means and actuation of said switch, said mechanism being so correlated with the reduction of liquid depth within the container upon each dispensing operation that a substantially equal volume of fluid is dispensed during each dispensing operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

